Fresh Mozzarella Pasta Salad

"A take on a traditional Caprese, but modified into a light summer pasta salad that goes great with anything off the grill, or just on its own. When I eat it on its own, I sometimes add about a cup of any chunked, cold sausage (I suggest pepperoni or a lighter summer sausage). Any pasta is fine, but I like the orzo's size.
"

Directions

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Stir in the orzo, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Drain well, and let cool.

Mix the mozzarella cheese cubes, tomatoes, basil, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt with olive oil in a salad bowl. Gently mix in the orzo pasta, and toss lightly to coat the ingredients with oil.

Most Helpful Positive Review

Jun 24, 2010

Awesome and so easy! Since other reviewers said this was too bland, I just mixed the orzo, mozzarella, vine ripe tomatoes, and fresh basil with a little Italian dressing. Worked like a charm. Didn't need the red pepper, olive oil, or anything else, but make sure the mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil are fresh!! Otherwise, there isn't any point of making this type of dish. Very good salad!

The simple, beautiful and fresh Caprese salad is perfection on a plate in my view. Vine-ripened tomatoes, just-picked basil, and fresh mozzarella (the colors of the Italian flag) is a flavorful combination. Orzo, which we typically used as soup pasta as I grew up, has gained enormous popularity in delis and homes everywhere as a side dish, be it hot, cold or room temperature. It would seem, then, that pairing the orzo with the Caprese would be a match made in heaven. But while hubs and I did enjoy this, we both felt it fell a little short of perfection, needing something we couldn't quite put our fingers on. Lemon juice maybe? I did leave out the red pepper flakes, and had I included it I think a teaspoon would be WAY overkill. Tip: Basil oxidizes and turns black quickly after cutting. I found that coating it with a little olive oil first helps prevent that! This was definitely a decent pasta salad, but I think maybe I just prefer my Caprese salad straight up!

I was looking for a pasta salad made with Orzo and came across this one... Just completed making it but on advice of others added the juice of 1 lemon to the olive oil as well as cracked pepper and sea salt.... The dressing was so, so good! I decided as well to add chopped red onion and toasted pine nuts... the result.... DELICIOUS! Thanks so much for sharing!

I thought that this was an overall great recipe. Sure, it may lack some flavor but that can easily be fixed by adding an extra sprinkle of salt and/or pepper or some garlic pepper. The first time I made this I used a marinated mozzarella cheese from Trader Joes. It was marinated with red pepper flakes and olive oil. The second time I just used regular fresh mozzarella. I like to cut mine into small squares and I use roma tomatos. I made this several times and it makes a great light side dish.

I made it the night before and while it was okay, I think it would be better to make it fresh and serve it immediately. I also found it a little bland so I served it with Balsamic vinegar and that gave it a lot more flavor. Otherwise it was excellent.

Nice light salad perfect for summer. After cooking I rinsed the orzo in cold water and served at room temp. If orzo is still warm the cheese begins to melt and it gets clumpy. Start with 1/2-2/3 of the red pepper then add to taste. I also added a little garlic and pepper as well.

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-)Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.